In this Royal Charter dated 26 October 1359, David II grants to the chaplain of the Chapel of St Mary the Virgin, of Inverness, a piece of land in the Carse area.

The image shows the front of the document.

As the Carse was part of the common lands of the burgh, the eighteen acres in question were resigned (surrendered) by the burgh council and community, at the instance of John Scot, on August 16th, before the formal ceremony on 26 October. John Scot made other grants to this chapel of St Mary and may have been its founder, or a member of the family responsible for its foundation.

The king's household at this time was peripatetic, moving from royal centre to royal centre. Parliaments were held when and where necessary. Parliamentary sessions consisted of tenants in chief of the crown i.e. nobles, bishops and other great churchmen such as abbots, as well as representatives from the bigger burghs. Such a confirmation shows the importance attached by John Scot to the Chapel of St Mary and his desire to ensure it was adequately endowed. It is a clear example of the piety of a medieval burgess, and reflects the growing importance of the cult of the Virgin Mary in later medieval Scotland.

In Charles Fraser-Mackintosh's publication, 'Antiquarian Notes' (p 303) the document is translated from the original Latin thus:

[For a glossary of some of the terms used in the Inverness burgh documents please follow the link towards the foot of this page]

'David by the grace of God, King of Scots, to all upright men in the whole earth, to his own clergy and laity greeting. You will all have known of the desire and special prayer of our well-loved and particular burgess of Inverness, John, called Scott, the larger and more discreet part of the community of the said burgh having been formerly assembled in this matter in our presence and with our consent on the first Tuesday after the Feast of the Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary in the cemetery of the Chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary of Inverness, in the year of our Lord, thirteen hundred and fifty-nine, - for charity's sake, and for the safety of our own soul and the souls of our predecessors and successors whomsoever, to the praise and honour of God, the blessed Virgin Mary, and all saints, male and female whomsoever, we give, grant, and confirm, by this our Charter, to God and the Chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary at Inverness for the maintenance of one chaplain to celebrate divine service, one peck of land of the Cras, with its pertinents, containing twelve acres of land lying next the land of the parish church of the blessed Virgin Mary of the same burgh of Inverness, towards the south in the one direction, lying beyond the Scathegate to the east, extending in equal length with the land of the blessed Virgin Mary foresaid, and within the Cras towards the north in the other directions, To have, and to hold, the said peck of land, with its pertinents, in pure and perpetual charity of the said Chapel for ever, freely and without molestation, fully, entirely, and honourably, well, and in peace as much so as any other land given in charity to any other church within our kingdom by us or our predecessors could be freely given or granted, possessed, or held. In witness whereof we have caused this Charter to be confirmed with the appending thereto of our own seal, in presence of these witnesses, the Venerable Fathers in Christ, William, Bishop of St Andrews; Patrick, Bishop of Brechin, our Chancellor; and Alexander, Bishop of Ross; Robert, Seneschal of Scotland, Earl of Strathearne, our grandson; William, Earl of Ross; Mr Walter Dee Wardlaw, Archdeacon of Lothian; Mr Alexander Bar, Archdeacon of Moray; Sir Walter De Halyburton, and Sir John Herries - knights; at Scone, in our full Parliament held there, on the 26th day of October, in the year of our Lord above-written, and of our reign the thirtieth.'

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Royal Charter Granting Land at Carse to Chapel of St Mary the Virgin, Inverness, 1359 (Front)

INVERNESS: Inverness and Bona

1350s

Inverness Museum and Art Gallery

Inverness Burgh Documents (2)

In this Royal Charter dated 26 October 1359, David II grants to the chaplain of the Chapel of St Mary the Virgin, of Inverness, a piece of land in the Carse area.<br />
<br />
The image shows the front of the document.<br />
<br />
As the Carse was part of the common lands of the burgh, the eighteen acres in question were resigned (surrendered) by the burgh council and community, at the instance of John Scot, on August 16th, before the formal ceremony on 26 October. John Scot made other grants to this chapel of St Mary and may have been its founder, or a member of the family responsible for its foundation.<br />
<br />
The king's household at this time was peripatetic, moving from royal centre to royal centre. Parliaments were held when and where necessary. Parliamentary sessions consisted of tenants in chief of the crown i.e. nobles, bishops and other great churchmen such as abbots, as well as representatives from the bigger burghs. Such a confirmation shows the importance attached by John Scot to the Chapel of St Mary and his desire to ensure it was adequately endowed. It is a clear example of the piety of a medieval burgess, and reflects the growing importance of the cult of the Virgin Mary in later medieval Scotland.<br />
<br />
In Charles Fraser-Mackintosh's publication, 'Antiquarian Notes' (p 303) the document is translated from the original Latin thus:<br />
<br />
[For a glossary of some of the terms used in the Inverness burgh documents please follow the link towards the foot of this page]<br />
<br />
'David by the grace of God, King of Scots, to all upright men in the whole earth, to his own clergy and laity greeting. You will all have known of the desire and special prayer of our well-loved and particular burgess of Inverness, John, called Scott, the larger and more discreet part of the community of the said burgh having been formerly assembled in this matter in our presence and with our consent on the first Tuesday after the Feast of the Assumption of the blessed Virgin Mary in the cemetery of the Chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary of Inverness, in the year of our Lord, thirteen hundred and fifty-nine, - for charity's sake, and for the safety of our own soul and the souls of our predecessors and successors whomsoever, to the praise and honour of God, the blessed Virgin Mary, and all saints, male and female whomsoever, we give, grant, and confirm, by this our Charter, to God and the Chapel of the blessed Virgin Mary at Inverness for the maintenance of one chaplain to celebrate divine service, one peck of land of the Cras, with its pertinents, containing twelve acres of land lying next the land of the parish church of the blessed Virgin Mary of the same burgh of Inverness, towards the south in the one direction, lying beyond the Scathegate to the east, extending in equal length with the land of the blessed Virgin Mary foresaid, and within the Cras towards the north in the other directions, To have, and to hold, the said peck of land, with its pertinents, in pure and perpetual charity of the said Chapel for ever, freely and without molestation, fully, entirely, and honourably, well, and in peace as much so as any other land given in charity to any other church within our kingdom by us or our predecessors could be freely given or granted, possessed, or held. In witness whereof we have caused this Charter to be confirmed with the appending thereto of our own seal, in presence of these witnesses, the Venerable Fathers in Christ, William, Bishop of St Andrews; Patrick, Bishop of Brechin, our Chancellor; and Alexander, Bishop of Ross; Robert, Seneschal of Scotland, Earl of Strathearne, our grandson; William, Earl of Ross; Mr Walter Dee Wardlaw, Archdeacon of Lothian; Mr Alexander Bar, Archdeacon of Moray; Sir Walter De Halyburton, and Sir John Herries - knights; at Scone, in our full Parliament held there, on the 26th day of October, in the year of our Lord above-written, and of our reign the thirtieth.'<br />
<br />
Accession Number: INVMG 2002.167 <br />
<br />
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